Sports journalist Ahmed Shobier revealed the identity of the coach who will lead Al Ahly’s first football team following the dismissal of Spanish coach José Ribeiro, after losing 2-0 to Pyramids in the Egyptian Premier League.

Preferred Coaching Schools: Portuguese or German

Shobier stated in radio remarks on Wednesday morning that Al Ahly’s management currently leans towards the Portuguese or German coaching schools, noting the long history of successful German coaches at Al Ahly and the foundations of the Portuguese school established by Manuel José, making this a logical choice.

French School Excluded

Shobier confirmed that the French coaching school has been completely excluded from the list of candidates, while if negotiations with candidates from the German and Portuguese schools fail, the Spanish school might be considered as an alternative.

Al Ahly Negotiates with Paulo Bento to Succeed Ribeiro

Separately, a source told Youm7 newspaper that Al Ahly’s management has been negotiating with Portuguese coach Paulo Bento for several days to learn about his terms for joining the Red team.

The negotiations include salary and other demands before making a final decision to continue talks or consider other candidates.

Who is Paulo Bento, the Portuguese Candidate?

Born on June 20, 1969, Paulo Bento has extensive experience coaching clubs and national teams:

• Coached Sporting Lisbon and won the Portuguese Cup in 2007 and 2008.
• Managed Portugal’s national team (2010-2014) and led them to the Euro 2012 semifinals.
• Coached Greek club Olympiacos and won the domestic league.
• Led South Korea’s national team (2018-2022) to the Round of 16 in the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Coaching Style and Traits

Bento is known for his pragmatic style, focusing on defensive organization and quick transitions, with a strong ability to work with national teams and manage multinational squads effectively.

These moves come after Al Ahly’s poor recent performances, with the club keen to appoint a coach capable of restoring victories and technical stability before the new season begins.

Preparation for Joining Al Ahly: ZED Announces Adel Mostafa’s Departure

ZED club announced the departure of Adel Mostafa, the team’s general coach, thanking him for his contributions during his tenure.

Mostafa is expected to join Al Ahly’s interim technical staff under Emad El Nahhas as assistant coach, as part of arrangements before signing a foreign head coach.

Walid Salah El-Din Appointed Al Ahly’s Football Director

Al Ahly announced on Tuesday the appointment of Emad El Nahhas as interim coach and Walid Salah El-Din as football director after leaving ZED, returning to the Red Castle.

Walid Salah El-Din’s appointment was a pleasant surprise for Al Ahly fans due to his experience and love for the club.

New Goalkeeping Coach Joins Al Ahly

Also, Amir Abdel Hamid, goalkeeping coach for Egypt’s U-14 national team, received permission from the Football Association to work with Al Ahly temporarily as goalkeeping coach, given the national team has no upcoming matches.